BRASILIA, Brazil, July 13 (UPI) — The Brazilian federal government will provide an additional $24 million for the armed forces to strengthen security ahead of Rio de Janeiro’s Summer Olympics in August.
Brazilian Sports Minister Leonardo Picciani announced the additional funding on Tuesday, adding that the military will begin patrolling sports venues on July 24. About 88,000 police officers and soldiers will be deployed throughout Rio de Janeiroduring the games beginning Aug. 5 and ending Aug. 21.
“It is the amount needed for the defense forces to carry out their duties and it will be available,” Picciani said Wednesday.
Police in Rio de Janeiro have recently staged protests over the late payment of salaries and a lack of necessities such as toilet paper and fuel. The Rio de Janeiro state has imposed across-the-board budget cuts that also affected police departments.
Brazil has been struggling with an economic, political and security crisis ahead of the Olympic games. Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has been suspended amid a corruption investigation and Eduardo Cunha, Brazil’s lower house speaker who spearheaded the impeachment effort against Rousseff, was also suspended over corruption allegations. He resigned from his post earlier this month.
Brazil is experiencing its worst recession in 25 years. Brazil has one of the highest homicide rates in the world, according to Amnesty International, which cites that about 42,000 people are killed with guns each year.
